


Electric Eyes, Synthetic Heart

by hibiren



Series: Jay's Gladnis Collection [31]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Robots & Androids, Android!Ignis, Androids, Angst and Feels, Collaboration, Developing Relationship, Emotions, FFXV Minibang, Falling In Love, Feels, Gladnis, Kissing, Light Angst, M/M, Robot Feels, Robot/Human Relationships, Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:53:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21937765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hibiren/pseuds/hibiren
Summary: [FFXV Minibang Collab] "Gladiolus needed help. Hereallyneeded help. It wasn’t just a here-and-there kind of assistance, but something serious. Intervention. The walls of his empty house - unbearably quiet since his sister had moved out to attend a school across town - seemed to close in around him, and the sheer neglect was showing through to the point it was becoming impossible to ignore. Gladiolus didn’t like to think of it asneglectso much as he just didn’t have time to clean, to cook, to do much of anything other than work, sleep, and get ready to work again. The solution? Gladiolus found it while in bed, idly scrolling through a webpage on his phone, in a glimpse of a tiny advertisement at the bottom of the page he was reading..."
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Ignis Scientia
Series: Jay's Gladnis Collection [31]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1151849
Comments: 4
Kudos: 30
Collections: FFXV Minibang 2019





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is an Android!Ignis gladnis AU for the [2019 FFXV Minibang](https://twitter.com/ffxvminibang)~ It takes inspiration from my personal writing (an android novel I have in progress ; u ; one day I hope to publish it professionally if I can!) and I couldn't resist the idea of making Ignis an Android and seeing how it would play out in a gladnis scenario :D I hope you enjoy! Thanks to [SpiritMuse](https://twitter.com/SpiritMuse) for collabing with me for art for this work~ they did a lovely job! You'll find it in Chapter 2~

Gladiolus needed help. He _really_ needed help. It wasn’t just a here-and-there kind of assistance, but something serious. Intervention. The walls of his empty house - unbearably quiet since his sister had moved out to attend a school across town - seemed to close in around him, and the sheer neglect was showing through to the point it was becoming impossible to ignore. Gladiolus didn’t like to think of it as _neglect_ so much as he just didn’t have time to clean, to cook, to do much of anything other than work, sleep, and get ready to work again. The solution? Gladiolus found it while in bed, idly scrolling through a webpage on his phone, in a glimpse of a tiny advertisement at the bottom of the page he was reading:

 _Insomnia Electronics,_ the banner read, an android and more, handcrafted for every purpose imaginable. _Completely customizable, with a large range of detailed options to suit every ideal._

Gladiolus tapped on the banner and let it take him to the company’s homepage. A curious expression flickered in his eyes as he glanced over the new page, taking everything in. Was it serious? Or was it another one of those joke startup companies that took all your money and then sent you a consolatory sticker when their idea flopped? For a hefty monthly ‘rental’ fee, they certainly seemed like they weren’t playing around. The website even displayed a few of the androids that had already been made, complete with pictures and video, demonstrations and descriptions, and _gods_ were they lifelike; so humanoid that it was honestly a little bit terrifying.

The only visible indicator of their android nature was the faint indent of jointseams along the forehead, the arms and legs, and _oh_ \- they had an ‘anatomically correct’ option as well, it seemed. Gladiolus flinched and cringed and his expressions contorted several times in copious degrees of discomfort when he watched a video clip in demonstration of the attachment-detachment process - the android in the video just pulled his front piece clean off to replace it with a flat skin-toned plate instead and the seams disappeared into the body, almost invisible against the synthetic silicone of their outer layer. Gladiolus glanced down between his own legs and thought, _I’m so glad mine doesn’t come off like that. Yikes._

Gladiolus was surprised to find an actual rental contract on the website, and gave it a quick glance-over before getting to the _really_ important part - the rental fees. To rent one of their ‘exclusive’ androids, it would cost a pricey deposit and after that the monthly cost of _holy gods,_ a thousand. But Gladiolus needed this, and he prayed that his savings would forgive him. Without needing to worry about his own living conditions, or cooking, or cleaning, he could have so much more time to work and sleep without worry.

Of all of the base androids, and the thousands of options he could have chosen if he wanted to pick the “Build Your Own” set - a premade one caught his eye. It was the eyes, go figure, that really had him. Shining, reflective; a deep, mysterious green like glittering emeralds in a forested sea.

The listing for this android was marked down on the page as:

_Insomnia Global Network-Integrated System, version 2.7.02_   
_IGNIS. Sex: Male. Default base: blond headplate, anatomical attachments, automatic consciousness, multi-language translation capacity, internal self-sustaining battery [cable & transfer attachments for backup included]._

_“An android driven to serve. IGNIS 2.7.02 at default now has an improved processor fitted with emotional receptors, as per prior customer request. IGNIS is a perfect match for a busy working life and will cater to any housework, landscaping, money-management, or companionship as desired. Consult below for further information regarding upkeep, requirements for purchase, and details of contract.”_

“Sounds legit to me, I guess,” Gladiolus hummed, scrolling back to the top of the page again. Those strange, reflective eyes kept calling to him. As if staring directly at him - if that picture could speak, he was sure that it was speaking to him. Perhaps it was the lack of sleep doing the “speaking” but Gladiolus knew that he needed to make this purchase. His wallet would hate him, but he needed company more than he needed money.

There was so much for Gladiolus to sign. Initial here, fill out address here, payment information here, practically sign away your soul here - inklings in the back of Gladiolus’ thoughts echoed _is this a good idea?_ but he shrugged all that aside in his determination to, for once in his life, do something impulsive. About five pages of form later, he finally reached the “Submit” button and he certainly felt like that’s what he was doing. Submitting to his own loneliness, to his foolishness, to the desire to no longer hear a voicemail when he tried to call his sister. He just wanted someone to break the silence around him. Even if that someone wasn’t human.

Another thought occurred to Gladiolus: _why didn’t I just get a dog? That’s what people do when they’re lonely, right?_ But dogs were too high-maintenance for what meager time Gladiolus had at home. A cat? Too independent. He wanted someone he could talk to and not feel like he was losing it. This was nothing short of a miracle in its timing, and to pass this up would be more foolish than going through with it.

After the form went through - and the confirmation email received - Gladiolus laid back against his pillows with an exhausted sigh. His alarm was already set for the next morning so he could just doze off whenever sleep decided to take him. Coffee likely made up half of his bloodstream already, so another cup of the extra-strong stuff in the morning would do good in helping him pull himself together enough to drag himself out the door and make the drive to work. And yet as he found himself drifting in that odd space of drowsy, heavy half-sleep, those green eyes kept haunting him. Whatever they were made of - resin, glass, a digital ‘something’ - they just captured him. Mystified him. There was no way that android was human, but those eyes, they just seemed so real. It just drew Gladiolus in like a digital moth to a computerized flame, and had him captivated.

In his dreams that night, Gladiolus imagined what it would be like when the android arrived. What kind of conversations they could have, how much interesting new information he could learn about the technology behind his new companion… finally, he would never have to spend another night alone.


	2. Chapter 2

When the doorbell rang about a week later, Gladiolus wasn’t expecting to be met by an unfamiliar blond with strikingly green eyes. The android arrived much earlier than expected. He wore a simple white buttoned long-sleeve shirt, black leather gloves and black pants with dress shoes to match, and though the fit looked somewhat tight, it worked well with his slender form. His hair was neatly combed back, and even though the faint hint of a seamline was visible, Gladiolus found himself marveling at just how _human_ the android looked in person, standing before him. This must’ve been…

“You’re… my android, right?” Gladiolus asked, somewhat dumbfounded as he stared. The android blinked, nodded with a light tilt of his head, and offered a somewhat mechanical smile in response.

“Yes, sir. I am the version 2.7.02 of the _Insomnia Global Network-Integrated System._ However for practicality purposes you may call me ‘Ignis.’ Or any other name you wish. I can program my processor to recognize whatever name you will use to address me.”

“W-Well,” Gladiolus spluttered, opening the door somewhat wider and gesturing for the android to come inside - _before anyone sees?_ No, not quite, was he really that embarrassed? - “You should come inside first. I’m not really that good with names, so let’s just stick with Ignis for now. I think it’s a good name. It suits you.”

“It is the acronym my developers chose for me, they keep design in mind when assigning names to the various systems.” Again, Ignis offered a somewhat forced, mechanical smile. Gladiolus frowned and Ignis immediately stepped aside to let him pass as he began to pace in front of the closed door.

“Do you like it? Your name, I mean.”

“I am not programmed to have opinions on such things, Master Amicitia - ”

Gladiolus paused mid-stride and his boot struck somewhat heavily against the floor, echoing loudly through the sudden silence that hung in the room, reverberating an unsettling discordance against the walls.

“Woah, _woah_ \- wait. Hold on. _Master?_ No no no no! _Don’t_ call me your Master. That’s… it, um… it doesn’t feel right.” With an uncomfortable shudder and frantically dismissive wave of a hand, Gladiolus continued while offering just a half-second glance the android’s way, “Just… please. Call me Gladio. I know I’d rented you for help around the house and stuff, but… I want you to be my friend, too. If - uh. If you’d be alright with that. It’d be wrong of me to just ignore you while you went around cleaning or something.”

“Did you wish that of me… Gladio?” Ignis asked, the tone in his voice almost mirroring one of curiosity. Despite that strange blankness in the android’s reflective eyes, a soft warmth seemed to glow from deep within them. Gladiolus couldn’t quite put a finger on what it was that Ignis must’ve been feeling. Or if he was feeling anything, for that matter.

“Yeah. I… I know it’s a hot mess in here. My apartment’s kinda in shambles. But… with you around, I thought maybe it would help make being here a little bit better.”

“Ah. I see. Then, perhaps, if I may make a suggestion: I can start cleaning and organizing to your liking this morning? It does help improve morale if you have a spotless living space.”

“Sure. I’ll help out. I don’t have work today, so we can try to clean up and I can get to know a bit about you while we’re at it? And I can tell you about myself, too.” As he slowly grew accustomed to the new presence in his apartment, it was much easier to talk to Ignis. That strange, mechanical air around the android began to dissolve, too, as if Ignis were tuning into Gladiolus’ tastes and perhaps a bit of his subconscious desires for companionship instead of servitude.

“Wonderful. Where would you like to start? If I may make another suggestion, it may be wise to divide the cleaning by rooms to cut down on the amount of energy you would be expending at once.”

Gladiolus walked into his kitchen and reached for a roll of garbage bags, pulling two loose and handing one to Ignis. “Let’s start with what’s out here by the door. Kitchen next, then bathroom, then the bedroom? That way we don’t have to worry about doing laundry or piling clothes or anything like that ‘til the end.”

“Alright.” Ignis reached out to take the bag from Gladiolus, but there was just a hint of a stutter, of a hesitation in Ignis’ hand closing around the plastic. “Gladio…?”

“Hm?”

“Ah, I apologize. I don’t wish to speak out of turn…”

Gladiolus nearly rolled his eyes, but sighed and closed the distance between himself and the android with a few strides and put his free hand on Ignis’ shoulder. His shoulder beneath the shirt, felt soft, solid, _warm. Alive._ “C’mon. Remember what I said? You’re here as my friend too. You can say pretty much whatever you want here. Someone’s gotta set me right, I sure as hell haven’t been doing a great job of that lately.”

“...I understand, Gladio.” Ignis’ gaze was somewhat analytical, just barely so. He opened and then immediately closed his mouth, as if lost for words. A low, whirring hum rose from within Ignis’ chest, and Gladiolus could feel it through his palm pressed to Ignis’ shoulder. If it were possible for Ignis’ face to turn white, it likely would have in that moment. His eyes widened and he slowly inched Gladiolus’ hand free of his shoulder while taking a step back. “...oh, I… I’m sorry.”

“What? Why?” asked Gladiolus, looking down at his hand and then to Ignis, who had raised his own hand and pressed it, palm flat and fingers spread, to his thrumming chest. “You okay?”

“Yes, I - ” Ignis started, but paused as the sound intensified and waited until it dulled somewhat before speaking again. “It’s my primary processor. I suppose my programming isn’t fully accustomed to serving as an emotion-reading consciousness quite yet. You’re…”

 _“You may send me back to the developers for reprogramming, if you wish,”_ came a strange, mechanical response from Ignis’ mouth, yet not quite entirely in his voice. It was as if it was a pre-programmed phrase. _“I can be readjusted free of charge to you as per contr_ \- please don’t send me back!” blurted the android, the tail end of his statement reverting his voice to normal, as if breaking free from a spell.

Gladiolus stepped back, eyes narrowed in confusion. His back hit the edge of the kitchen’s bartop and prevented him from moving any further away. He watched with both confusion and fear as Ignis stood before him, whirring still, clutching at his shirt and all Gladiolus could do was think, _what do I do?_ _What_ can _I do?_

When Ignis shuddered and the whirring increasing in pitch until the sound mirrored that of an overheating computer fan, Gladiolus found himself holding tightly to Ignis. He wrapped his arms around the trembling, buzzing android and frowned. Worry seeped into his voice as he did his best to coax Ignis to calm down.

“Hey, it’ll be okay. I’m not gonna send you back. I don’t think you need reprogramming. If, um… if your processors make noise, who cares, right? Bodies make noise. It’s normal. You ought to hear me in the morning half the time, my back cracks like someone stepped on a piece of bubble wrap.”

Slowly, very slowly, Ignis raised his other hand and wrapped it around Gladiolus’ waist. The whirring began to subside until the android’s body stilled back to normal. Gladiolus was thankful that his attempt at comforting had been successful.

“Thank you, Gladiolus - ah. Gladio.”

“Hey, look at me,” Gladiolus spoke, his voice low and gentle as he touched Ignis’ cheek, pulling his face up just enough so their eyes could meet. “If you don’t want to go back, I won’t send you back. I’m not gonna hurt you. No one’s gonna hurt you. I don’t know what they did to you to make you so… afraid. But you don’t have to worry here. We’ve all got flaws we gotta work with. No one’s perfect. I promise I don’t mind.”

Gladiolus wasn’t exactly sure where all of the words that fell from his lips were coming from, but when he saw how quickly Ignis became frightened at the thought of returning to the facility he must’ve been built in - Gladiolus couldn’t imagine what kind of hell he must’ve been through beforehand. There was something more going on, something deeper, but as long as Ignis was under Gladiolus’ name, he swore to himself to do whatever he could to make sure Ignis never hurt like that again.

“I…” Ignis began, a frown briefly flashing across his features, “Please don’t speak of what I’m about to tell you ever again. If… when I am returned, when my contract relinquishes ownership of me; I am shut down, taken apart, wiped of all prior programming, and rebuilt to be ‘like new’ for the next contract. The programmers, the developers - they don’t realize I retain consciousness through the process. It is a bug that cannot be fixed. And being shut down… it hurts. As much as overheating. It is as close to feeling the human emotions of pain and terror that I can experience as an android. It is… very unpleasant. I don’t like it. But I’m not allowed to not like it, so to speak. I am only supposed to be what my contract wants, and yet… I’m an aberration still.”

“Aberration? Ignis, no - ” Gladiolus whispered, pulling away enough to give Ignis’ shoulder a gentle touch in sympathy. “You’re no aberration to me - hey. How ‘bout we get cleaning, alright? Maybe it’ll help if you’re helping me get something done. Take your mind, er - processor, off of things. You did say having a clean place improves morale, yeah?”

“Correct, I did.” There was just a slight smile, less forced this time, from the android as he bent down to pick up the trash bag off of the floor, where it fell when Ignis had been upset. He pulled the gloves off of his hands and tucked them into his pocket, making sure his sleeves were rolled up past his elbows before asking, “Shall we?”


	3. Chapter 3

The cleaning took less time than expected, with the two of them taking time first to clear away the trash and other things to be thrown away, following by reorganizing everything on Gladiolus’ shelves and vacuuming the surely years’ worth of dust that rose up from the carpet when they’d tried to rearrange the furniture to further assist in the cleaning efforts.

Having Ignis around definitely brightened Gladiolus’ days, as they both adjusted to living together. Ignis learned Gladiolus’ boundaries quickly, often without speaking of it. Ignis would just do things for Gladiolus, wordlessly, over time without having to ask him.

It was just simple, small things Ignis did, like leaving a warm towel out folded on the countertop for when Gladiolus got out of the shower, or having a meal prepared for him when he came home from work. Instant noodles were good, and always worked in a pinch in the past, but there really was something nice about coming home to a fresh, well-planned meal. It probably was the best that Gladiolus had eaten in months, if not years. Better than a restaurant, if he really dared to think so. And if anything, it was the one time Gladiolus caught what would be as close to a genuine _smile_ on the android's lips as possible. It really made him happy - something simple as cooking. But was it out of obligation, or something more?

One night at dinner, Gladiolus asked past a forkful of perfectly baked potato, “Hey… Ignis? You always cook such amazing dishes, but I never see you eat them. You hardly even taste them. I guess… you don’t need to eat, do you? I feel bad, with you sitting there watching me. I want to offer you some of your own food but - not if you can’t eat it.”

Ignis remained still, his fingers laced together and his palms on the table. He blinked when Gladiolus addressed him and turned his head just slightly closer, to note that he’d heard. “I… am capable of eating, yes. I just have no use for such a thing. I run entirely on an internal battery and my power can be replenished via electricity or sunlight. I gain no sustenance from food and I need no water, aside from what runs through me.”

Yet, there was this sad - almost, always almost - flicker in Ignis’ eyes that made Gladiolus want to ask more. He always wanted to know more. Ignis was such a mystery to him, in more ways than just technology. He wanted to know everything, where Ignis came from and why it haunted him so, what he was capable of, if one day he might be interested in - no, no… there wasn’t any possible way it would work. Would it..?

After collecting himself somewhat and forcing another forkful of potato into his mouth, Gladiolus asked, “Does that upset you?”

“Hm?”

“That you can’t eat. You love cooking. But you don’t eat. I know if I were in your shoes, I’d be kinda sad,” Gladiolus observed, and Ignis looked away when his chest began to hum.

Over the whirring, Ignis whispered, “I’m not allowed to ‘love’ anything. Not unless my owner wishes it of me.”

Slowly, Gladiolus set his fork down on the plate and pushed it away, having lost his appetite. “You keep saying that. But I can tell… there’s something inside you that wants to do what, well, what you want to do. Yeah?”

The pitch of the hum increased and Ignis let out a choking noise. “No, no - I can’t. I would break my own contract doing so. I would be… I would be…”

As Ignis stuttered, Gladiolus pushed his chair back and was immediately at Ignis’ side where he sat, hands clasping firm on the android’s shaking shoulders. “Ignis, look at me. You’re not going to be sent back. I don’t want to get rid of you. I… hell, if anything, I want _you_ to be happy here too. I _love_ you, Iggy. I - ”

They both froze.

Ignis stopped whirring.

Gladiolus cleared his throat and felt heat rising in his face. Nausea churned wickedly in his stomach.

“I… I, uh…”

“So my observations… they were correct after all,” Ignis mused, and slowly reached up to touch one of Gladiolus’ hands on his shoulder. “You’ve fallen in love with me. And I… fear there is little I can do. Very likely, I wouldn’t satisfy you. You’re a very lovely man, Gladiolus, very kind; and I…”

“I’m sorry, I… I know this is kinda weird.” Gladiolus pulled his hands away and frowned at how cold his hands felt in the empty, open air. How icy the atmosphere in the apartment felt despite the burning in his body. The yearning for what he knew he shouldn’t have. “Originally… I didn’t think it would happen, but… there’s just something about you. I can’t explain it. I want to see you happy. I want to see you smile, not because someone’s making you, or because you have to. I want to see you being _you_ and nothing else. This life you live… it really makes you sad, doesn’t it? Being constantly bought and returned and bought and returned when you’ve been used ‘til you can’t be used anymore. I’d hate it too, if I were you. But… if you’re alright with me, you’ll never be returned again. I promise.”

“Promise…” Ignis mused, as if tasting the word. Given the blank staring in his eyes, Gladiolus wasn’t sure if it was a good taste or a bad one. “I… I don’t know how to be anything other than what I am programmed to be, and that is a device to serve. To please. To assist. Companionship, perhaps, or a self-fulfilling ‘romance’ on my owner’s end, but… _‘genuine’_ is… something I’m not sure I can provide you. I am not human. And I will never be. Please take care to remember this.”

“I don’t care that you’re an android, if that’s what you’re worried about. I really don’t. I promise.”

“Promises…” Ignis repeated, and offered a weary smile that seemed more to echo of sadness than pleasure. “Humans always make promises. As an android, I am incapable. I simply perform tasks as given and have no need for such a philosophical concept as a promise. A promise, for an android, is always just a guarantee, a fulfilled order. Does a promise carry the same weight for you? Because… promises are just words, to my processor. And more often than not, they are ‘broken’ words.”

“Would it be better if I showed you, instead?” Gladiolus asked, trying to swallow back the nervous trembling in his voice. “Promises can be more than just words, Ignis. Please. Let me show you.”

Careful fingers gently tilted the android’s chin, and before Gladiolus could stop himself, he pulled Ignis into a kiss. Ignis must have felt it; the anxiety on Gladiolus’ lips, his tongue, in the way his breath caught in his throat as if the wind had been knocked out of him. There was a minimal response at first, and then Ignis wrapped his hands around Gladiolus’ waist and held him, just as gently, never breaking the kiss.

It was Gladiolus who pulled away first. Those bright green eyes stared back at him, watching, almost _analyzing,_ but it wasn’t out of indifference. Maybe Gladiolus was imagining things, but he could have sworn, there was just a hint of a smile on the android’s lips, just the slightest crinkle of synthetic skin enough to make him pause.

“I think I’m beginning to understand you, Gladiolus,” Ignis mused, his eyes briefly slipping downward to glance at Gladiolus’ lips. “You want a lover, don’t you?”

“Y… yeah. I do.”

“And I, even as an android incapable of reciprocating pure human emotion… will suffice?”

“Absolutely. I love you, Ignis, and I swear on my life to keep you safe no matter what. Just you being here makes me happy, and I can see you trying to understand. You can’t help what your processors have been programmed with, but, for what it’s worth - I can do my best to explain things, help you understand.”

“I’d like that, yes. Thank you. You know, Gladiolus, you would be the first to actively ask my consent in a situation like this. I appreciate that more than you know.”

The two still remained still as they both evaluated their situation. For Gladiolus, wasn’t Ignis the best thing? He lived there, he helped out, he was a gorgeous man - even if he was built to be just that. There was something within Ignis that _did_ understand emotion, but, Gladiolus wondered how long it would take to find out if it worked well enough to understand that Gladiolus had fallen in love with him. Ignis was more than just an android, or a maid, or any of that. Ignis was closer to human than anyone he’d had the displeasure of associating with in the last few years. Work was awful, his coworkers just didn’t care about him unless he was getting the work of five people done at once. He never talked to his neighbors, and he slipped about the town as if invisible, like no one knew he existed. It was nice, every now and then, but when you just want a passing stranger on the street to meet your eyes and smile… being invisible wasn’t so great.

And that was another thing he loved about Ignis. Gladiolus mattered to him, even if it was in that strange, contractual manner. While Gladiolus wasn’t good with technology by any means, Ignis was self-sustaining enough that it helped him out even more. He just wondered if Ignis would ever - as impossible as the circumstances seemed - return his love. Weirder things have happened in the world (‘what could be weirder than splitting an apartment with an android,’ thought Gladiolus); but Ignis would be with him through the rest of his life, as long as he could afford it. After Ignis’ confession, he wasn’t sure he ever wanted to let Ignis go. He wanted to keep Ignis safe, to show him that while being human wasn’t easy, finding a way to protect those you love makes life really worth living.

**Author's Note:**

> (yes I am very proud of the 'android pun' I made with Ignis' name hehehe)
> 
> I'm really glad I was able to participate in this minibang! It's my first event like this and I think it went really well~ thanks for reading!


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